Giannis’ Bucks Future Isn’t Set In Stone | Rachel Nichols & Chris Mannix

Giannis’ Bucks Future Isn’t Set In Stone | Rachel Nichols & Chris Mannix

We we are less than two months away from the start of training camp. There are still some questions about whether Giannis will be in Milwaukee’s camp. ESPN reporting this week that nothing was set in stone with Giannis’ future, which does not rule out the potential for a Giannis deal. We’ve seen some pretty big deals, Rachel. August, September, Kyrie Irving, Damen Lillard, just to name a couple. Um I feel like I’ve pissed off Milwaukee enough over the last few months talking about future. But like if put yourself in Bucks fans shoes, would the silence and the uncertainty be worrisome for you when it comes to the short-term future of Giannis? I mean, I think anytime a star has sort of reasons to contemplate leaving, you’re nervous as a fan base. And frankly, with today’s NBA, you should be nervous your big star that you love is leaving no matter what. because as we just were talking about, under any circumstances, one of these guys could either ask for a trade or in the Luca Donuch case, be traded unexpectedly. Uh but yeah, I mean, if you’re a Milwaukee Bucks fan, you’re really hoping that he stays. And by the way, if he does start the season with them, that’s not even a guarantee that he’ll finish the season with them because how does things go for the first few months of the season? It could be that in an east that is I’m just going to say less competitive uh that they actually do better and exceed expectations, do better than people think. Or maybe if in a lesser competitive east they’re still struggling, Giannis might decide to change his mind. I personally hope that he stays because I think that relationship between Giannis and the people of Milwaukee is very special. We’ve talked about this. You know, I certainly understand championships being very important. this game is about winning and losing. But to not acknowledge that those kinds of relationships, what Damen Lillard has with the Portland Trailblazers fans was just so strong that he came back, right? And that the franchise wanted him back even though it’s not the most team friendly deal. The relationship that Kobe had here with the Lakers, I mean, there’s just so Durk in Dallas, there’s so many Devin Booker is building with the Phoenix fans. That’s really special, too. and it doesn’t replace winning rings, but it is something that is worth throwing into the mix and ha having that be in sort of not if not equal large footing in making your decision. So, I hope he stays. I feel like, you know, so much changes in the NBA so quickly that even if they don’t start the season super competitive, things could go forward in a way we don’t expect. Um, but if he is available, look, there’s a ton of teams we know that have been making inquiries on him. And I have to think that if he is available, there will be 29 teams making inquiries on him. So, in the absence of anything definitive from Giannis, I fall back on the same position that I’ve had for months that Giannis has to be thinking two things. one, am I okay with a gap year? Because regardless of what you think of the Eastern Conference, this is not a team that can win the Eastern Conference. They can be more competitive than maybe people suspect or expect, surprise some people, but right now, this Bucks depth chart, no. Like Kevin Porter Jr. right now is your starting point guard. Gary Trent is your starting two guard. Kyle Koosma is your starting small forward. Off the bench, you’ve got Cole Anthony, AJ Green, Torian Prince, Bobby Portoris is back. Uh Jericho Sims, uh Giannis is still great, top three player in the NBA. Miles Turner, we’ve talked about this, I think, is an upgrade for them at the center position. Good player. That’s not winning the Eastern Conference. That’s probably putting you right back where you were at the end of last season, which is in that four five range, and fighting to get out of the first round. Giannis has to decide if he’s okay with that. And he also has to decide if he believes that John Horst and the Bucks have a vision that is realizable for 2026 and beyond, that they can do some things in the summer of 2026 that will add that second star. Look, to win anything in the NBA, you’ve got to have a great co-star. This is the problem the Lakers are going to come up with, you know, next summer when whether or not LeBron’s there or not, they’re still going to need a number two guy to play opposite Luca Donic. Giannis needs a number two guy. Miles Turner is not a number two guy. Very good player, good role player, proven he can be a a a pivotal player on a team that this close to winning a championship, but they need a number two guy. He’s got to believe that John Horst’s plan or whatever they’re presenting to him is a actionable plan, is a realizable plan. So until we get some clarity on what he thinks about those two questions, I think you got to be nervous if you’re in Milwaukee. Yeah. I mean, look, as I said, you should be nervous because, frankly, as an NBA fan in any team, you should be nervous and certainly in a situation where, you know, a guy is considering his options. I think one of the barriers to Giannis being traded is that Giannis would have to ask for a trade. that I know if you were running the Milwaukee Bucks franchise, you think that they should deal him for the good of the franchise. Well, no, no, hold on, hold on. Because I I I get tagged with some of this a lot. The people are saying, “Deal no matter what.” I I have, but but like I’ve said that only if he’s not committing to an extension, right? If he says to them tomorrow like, “I’m in for three more years,” of course you bring him back. You want the guy there for the lifetime of his of his career. If you can if you can get his name on a long-term contract, I’m of the belief and the stats back it up that Giannis’s game is going to age pretty gracefully, right? Like he’s not going to be as explosive as he was in years past, but he’s proven that you can be a great player with zero three-point shot. Like his three-point numbers have actually declined as his career has progressed. If he says to them, “I’m in. Here’s my name or my my promise to commit to this team long term,” I do it. On the flip side, if he doesn’t, that’s when I think the Bucks need to be proactive because the longer he has on his deal, the more teams that are available for them to talk to. I I just it doesn’t look like from the outside that the Bucks, no matter what Giannis’ deal looks like, are going to volunteer to trade him. And I personally think that’s the right decision because when you have a star like that, as the Bucks organization and franchise and fans know, it could be 50 years before you get another one. And I I just think you hold on to him as long as you can in this anything can happen NBA. But that being said, that means that Giannis will have to actually go in and ask for a trade. And for a guy like Giannis who does not see himself as a guy who you know goes in and demands a trade, I think that is another factor that he is thinking about either explicitly or you know just in the back of his mind somewhere is taking that final step of going in and saying I want to be traded. I want to leave Milwaukee. And having the fans know that he is the one who left them. I think that that’s probably again not the most important factor, but I think that is something in there with all of these decisions that are being made right now. Yeah, look, he has agreed to two massive extensions in Milwaukee very recently in 2020 or 2021 rather and 2023. So, you know, or I think it was 2020 when he agreed to the extension when they made the holiday deal. So, he’s given them their commitment. I I just wonder if and I don’t know that it necessarily has to be Giannis walking into John Horse office saying trade me as much as it is like look I’m not going to sign an extension and unless you get me another bigname star next summer I’m also not going to sign an extension. I think there’s a a bit of a gray area where he doesn’t have to ask out the same kind of stuff with Fox with Anthony Davis just basically saying I’m not going to do it which has the same weight as as a trade demand. think there’s a a gentler way to ultimately uh do it, but I think the Bucks have to decide or have to figure out, you know, if he doesn’t sign an extension this summer, and obviously he’s not going to do that, at least not with the current uh situation, or doesn’t want to do it next summer, then things get pretty complicated for them in Milwaukee. But I I think the silence is it’s always revealing, right? Like and there’s always been there’s been these these interviews that Giannis has done like he did the I show speed clip over in Greece where he’s like hey yeah I’ll probably be back in Milwaukee. I saw another thing earlier today where it’s like all in on Milwaukee baby. Somebody yelled at him and he repeated it. Like it’s a whole lot of stuff that you can read between the lines, but for right now, there’s not been anything definitive from Giannis or his team.

Chris Mannix and Rachel Nichols discuss the odds of Giannis being involved in another late offseason trade and what teams might try to get in on a deal
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